The average time people wait for another dental appointment is three years, and according to Tech Times, one app is looking to change that by offering last-minute dental appointments at a discount.
California startup Windchime Healthcare has recently developed and launched an app designed to make the oral healthcare experience easier and more affordable. Using the Windchime app, patients can reserve last minute dentist appointments with just a few clicks of their mobile phone. Not just that, but rates are discounted as much as 40%. Medical Group Management Association data has found that 60% of the amount owed by patients is never collected, and this app aims to improve availability in a way that will benefit both patients and dental care providers.
“The app will help people without dental insurance particularly as they have zero protection from price gouging as dental practices can charge whatever they want for a procedure as there is no regulation for pricing,” Co-Founder and CEO of Windchime Health Joe Storm told Tech Times.
In order to use Windchime, patients must sign up using their email address to create an account. Once they’re successfully signed in, they’ll see a green button that allows them to reserve both same day and next day appointments. Patients can receive up to a 50% discount for these appointments.
There are also designated blue buttons to enable users to look through the various time slots available for next day appointments. The discount rates for these appointments are as high as 20%. Even though the rate isn’t as discounted as the green button rates and appointments, they’re still considered to be more affordable than appointments booked using traditional methods by those who don’t have any health insurance.
Once the user has selected their desired appointment day and type, they’ll be brought to a screen that lists nearby dental practices based on their location. There are various filters in place designed to allow users to get specific with their searches, sorting dental practices by distance, time, and discount.
Furthermore, users can toggle with a number of advanced search options, such as seeking out dentist offices with extended hours like evenings and weekends. They can also search for flexible payment plans.
The average American now spends about half a day staring at screens. However, most dental professionals would likely agree that using the Windchime app to book your next dentist appointment is one of the best reasons to look at a screen. As of now, Windchime is only available in Northern California, but representatives expect the area of coverage to expand into other major metro areas, including Chicago, Dallas/Houston, and Los Angeles.
Of course, as more last-minute services become available through apps and mobile devices, users will still have to be cautious when taking advantage of them. Engaging in visual-manual subtasks associated with the use of hand-held phones and other portable devices increases the risk of getting into a crash by three times. Still, when used properly, these types of services — those that make such an essential component of healthcare easier to access and pay for — are absolutely invaluable.
“Dentistry is one of the largest expenditures a consumer can make with little to no ability to shop. After investigating a bit we found that some of us paid three times as much for the same service as the other and that is how we started looking at dentistry as a commodity that people should be able to shop for like any other consumer good or service,” said Storm.
